Demon’s Quest (High Demon #4)(44)
Author: Connie Suttle

"Daddy?" My voice sounded lost, even to my own ears. Did Edan remember his mother? Where were his loyalties now?

"Baby, that woman means nothing to me," Edan knelt by my bed and gripped my fingers in his. "I don’t know her, I only know of her."

"Em-pah’s here, too, baby." Denevik’s face appeared above Edan’s.

"We had to hold him back for a while, he wanted to kill a few people," Tory grinned behind my grandfather. "And then Karzac and Jeff took some of his blood, so he’s calmed down, now."

"Em-pah, if I’d been able, I might have wanted to kill people too," I said, my eyes closing in weariness.

"Come—we won’t talk of such things now," Karzac’s fingers were warm against my forehead.

"Master Cook Vyn, did you think to come before me a second time?" The Governor of the Realm gave his former head cook an angry glare. Vyn was terrified. How had that woman survived to tell the tale? He, the two guards he’d conspired with and his mother were all being questioned. And what was this regarding threats to a visiting dignitary?

"She fired directly at the King of Karathia’s party," the Governor growled. "Are you aware of the charges that result from such an act?" Vyn could only shake his head—he had no idea.

"An act against a visiting dignitary is the same as an act against the Governor of the Realm, here or from any other Reth Alliance world. Now do you know?"

Vyn was unsure whether to speak or not. He knew the answer—it was an act of treason, or in his case, conspiracy to commit treason. And his mother—brought in on the same charges? Vyn was more frightened than he’d ever been in his life. "We have the vid—would you like to see it?" The Governor went on. "It shows the weapon aimed toward the Karathian King’s party. I’m sure you were unaware that the original target—Reah Nilvas Silver, once called Reah Desh, is betrothed to the King of Karathia."

"Wh-what?" Vyn stuttered.

"Yes. I speak the truth. Had one of the benign Larentii not come, Reah would be dead. Now, would you care to tell me what kind of revenge you arranged with Marzi Desh, to kill the Karathian King’s Queen to be?"

"I want to kill you—it’s as simple as that," Norian hissed at Marzi. "But I’ll let the court system handle this. I’m sure you’ll wish you were dead by the time this is over. You’re charged with High Treason, did you know that? You fired at the King of Karathia and his party."

"That slut of a girl was not a part of his party," Marzi denied.

"Call her names again and I’ll watch you die," Norian snapped. "Reah is betrothed to the King of Karathia. He was there to lend her support. You are charged with High Treason, Marzi Desh, and with what those two guards are saying concerning your trading sexual favors to get your way, I think the term slut might apply to you. You will be placed in solitary confinement, and the cuffs will not be removed. Pass any wall of your cell and they will activate. Your co-conspirators will receive the same treatment, and if I know the Governor of the Realm, all of you will be sentenced to Evensun. Do you know what happens there?" Norian gave Marzi a satisfied smile.

"The death planet?" Marzi’s knees went weak.

"That’s what they call it," Norian nodded. "Take her." He jerked his head toward the guards in the room. She’d been compelled to answer every question truthfully, and Norian silently thanked Kifirin for that gift. Otherwise, Vyn Bralnon and the two guards might have gotten away. Vyn’s mother had also been implicated—she’d been bribing guards to get contraband inside prison walls for years. She would suffer the same fate as the others, when sentence was handed down.

"See—when the guard hit Marzi’s hand, the shot went wide," Lendill was stopping and starting the vid image. They all watched in horrified fascination as the projectile flew directly toward Corolan’s head, only Reah, moving faster than the camera could capture the image, whirled in front of the laser bullet and blood flew as it pierced her neck. "Now, here’s where the Larentii comes—do any of you recognize him?" Lendill asked as the Larentii appeared, almost from beneath Reah a blink after she was hit, and he staunched the blood flow with large blue fingers. He settled Reah carefully into Tory’s arms before disappearing as quickly as he’d appeared.

"Mom says that his name is Nefrigar," Tory sighed. "He’s like the Larentii librarian or something."

"Do we know why he came?"

"No. Not yet, anyway. I don’t know how he knew to come." Gavril said. He was angry, although Marzi and the others were likely to be sent to Evensun. In his estimation, Reah had been exposed to too many attempts on her life. Karzac was concerned, just as he was.

"It doesn’t matter; he came and she’s still alive." Wylend had almost thrown a spell at Marzi Desh; one that could end her life. Erland and Rylend had held him back.

"Karzac says that Reah will be down at least two weeks, with his supervision. Longer without it," Lendill said. He wanted to go to Reah’s bedroom and crawl under the covers with her. Whisper that he’d keep her safe. And perhaps he could. While he had guards posted around the house and nobody was allowed in or out without his knowledge or permission. Lok was in charge of perimeter security at the moment—Lendill had seen the anger and grim determination on the Falchani’s face—he pitied anyone who might argue with Lok over Reah’s safety.

"How many bedrooms do we need to prepare?" Gavril stood and stretched. "I’m staying—Dee will handle things on Campiaa until tomorrow or the day after."

"I want to stay in Reah’s room," Corolan muttered. She’d risked her life for his, when it should have been the other way around.

"Farzi and Nenzi are in bed with her—as lion snakes," Gavril said. "Probably not a good idea to get too close."

"Is there a room nearby?"

"I have the one on Reah’s left, Lendill has the one on the right, and Tory is across the hall," Gavril loosened the top button of his dress shirt. He hadn’t taken time to change, he’d settled for removing the formal jacket he’d worn to the funeral. Tory had been the one to change clothes immediately—Reah’s blood had transferred from her clothing to his. "You can take the room on Tory’s left and if Wylend wishes to stay, he can have the suite on the right."

"Wylend and I will stay together," Corolan frowned, rubbing a spot between his eyes that insisted on throbbing painfully.

"Suit yourself. Let me know if you need anything." Corolan nodded at Gavril’s words and he and Wylend disappeared together.